Announcements

The updated Return to Learn Plan that was approved on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, was neither an endorsement nor an admonishment of masks. The approved plan enables the district to follow the federal order and to avoid violating federal civil rights and disability laws.

Changes in the approved Return to Learn Plan are highlighted below:

• The approved changes will take effect September 23, 2021, and will remain in effect through December 21, 2021, unless there are changes to the current law or further action by the board.

• A new plan will be presented for the beginning of the 2022 calendar year.

• Masks will be required for individuals age 2 and older, indoors on ACSD property during the compulsory school day. This includes students, teachers, staff, visitors, and volunteers.

• Masks will not be required when outdoors on ACSD property.

• Exemptions from last year will carry forward, and new exemption requests can be made by filling out the exemption form. Please note: The statement on the form, “A person granted a medical or religious exemption may be excluded from in-person school and school activities during a COVID-19 infection outbreak” means that having a mask exemption does not prevent a student from being told to stay home from school if they test positive for COVID. More information can be found on Iowa Department of Public Health’s website.

• We will work collaboratively with families to make sure we are balancing the health, safety, and educational needs of all students in a classroom.

• Our tracking and notification of potential COVID-19 exposure will be updated to meet the new plan. Communication about what to expect will be sent in the next couple of days from your student’s home school building.

• By Wednesday, September 29, lunch seating for grades 6-12, will implement a process so communication-related to potential exposure can be more precise.

Find the full plan with more detailed information on the Return to Learn section of the district website.

Homecoming week is beginning Monday, September 27.  Get your tickets now to the Homecoming Dance being held Saturday, October 2, from 8:00-11:00 p.m. at Ankeny Centennial High School.  You can purchase a ticket using the TouchBase system.  Once logged in,  go to Items at Student’s School – Incl One Time Meal Payment.  Choose Student Activities then the option to purchase a homecoming ticket.  Tickets will be available online September 20 – Tuesday, September 28, at midnight.  Students can pick up their ticket wristbands Thursday and Friday during the lunch shifts.  Please have ID to pick up your wristbands and your ID will be required as well to attend the dance on Saturday.  If you are unable to purchase a ticket through TouchBase system, we will sell tickets in the Activities Office only during lunch shifts on Friday, October 1.

If the student is bringing a guest that does not attend Ankeny Centennial, a Dance guest form will be required.  Please return the completed form to the front office by 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 29. The guest must also bring a form of ID to be admitted to the dance as well.

While a student at Prairie Ridge, Kalyani Bhat, competed in the nation’s premier middle school science competition, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge. This competition features outstanding innovations from young scientists that utilize the power of STEM to improve the world. Over the summer of 2021 Kalyani was named the state merit winner for Iowa for her video communicating the science behind her solution to a ventilator alternative. Each state merit winner receives special recognition on the challenge website, along with a special technology prize pack. Kalyani is now a student at Northview Middle School.

View the 3M press release here.

The Ankeny Community School District and Superintendent Dr. Erick Pruitt invite Parents/Guardians to attend the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting on Thursday, September 16 from 6:00pm-7:30pm at Northview Middle School Auditorium.

The Parent Advisory Committee gives parents an opportunity to provide input on topics and ideas that are relevant to the district’s goal of preparing every learner for success. The committee will also provide insight into projects and initiatives that can be implemented to help move the district forward. Parents (and guardians) will have the opportunity to collaborate with each other and work together as one entity to ensure success for our students and community.

Innovative ideas, thoughtful questions, and respectful discussion are welcome!

This meeting marks the first of what will be monthly meetings. The PAC will meet the third Thursday of every month during the school year. Committee involvement is open to all parents of students enrolled in the Ankeny Community School District.

Where: Northview Middle School Auditorium

When: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM (90 Minutes) starting September 16

Jaguar Students and Families,

We are excited to begin the process of selecting our first ever student representatives for the school board.  For the 2021-22 school year, there will be 2 student representatives, one from Centennial High School and one from Ankeny High School.  This is a great opportunity for our students to have a voice in educational programming for the district and support the changes that they would like to see in the district.

Qualifications for the Student School Board Representatives

• The student must currently attend Ankeny Centennial High School (or Ankeny High School) in Grades 10-12.
• The student must be in proper academic standing equivalent for participation in athletics or other student activities, and maintain proper academic standing throughout their term.
• The students will be expected to maintain personal standards of behavior appropriate to participation in student activities.
• The student must have the ability to gather information from a variety of student stakeholders to share celebrations and concerns with the school board.

Expectations for the Student School Board Representatives

• Attend school board meetings two times per month, currently scheduled for the first and third Tuesdays starting at 6:00 pm.
• Engage diverse student groups in learning about their needs related to the district’s educational programming.
• Collaborate with the building principal to support students and provide student voice at the building and district level.

Application Process

Students interested in serving as the school board representative for their high school need to submit an application through the Student School Board Representative Application for Ankeny Schools 2021-22 SY Google Form. The applications will be reviewed by a student committee who will select the representatives for their respective high school.

The timeline for applications is as follows …

• Applications Open – August 27, 2021
• Applications due – September 10, 2021 by 5:00 PM
• Student Selection Committee Meeting – September 22, 2021
• Student Representatives informed of selection – September 24, 2021
• First Board Meeting for Student Representatives – October 5, 2021

If you have any questions about the expectations for the student school board representative position or the application process, please contact Dr. Jill Urich, ACHS Principal, jill.urich@ankenyschools.org,  or, Peter Apple, AHS Principal, peter.apple@ankenyschools.org

Please find our updated COVID-19 dashboard and informational data here.

Ankeny Community School District is guided by state laws which prevent schools from mandating face masks and requires school districts in Iowa to provide on-site learning. However, students, staff, and others on district property are permitted to wear masks; disposable masks are available in our buildings for those who wish to wear them.

Per guidance from the Iowa Department of Public Health, Ankeny Community School District will treat COVID-19 similar to influenza and other common child illnesses. Students who believe they have been exposed to COVID-19 in or outside of school are not required to quarantine and should monitor for symptoms.

Due to health department changes in quarantine requirements, Ankeny Community School District will not contact trace to identify individuals as “close contacts” who may have been exposed to COVID-19 in the school setting. As necessary, all Ankeny school buildings are sending notifications to families to indicate potential exposure to positive case(s) of COVID-19.

A dashboard has been created to provide parents with “at-a-glance” positive case information, based on self-reported information. It is updated once a week and date stamped. An asterisk (*) denotes at least one but fewer than four (4) cases within a given reporting category and is provided in lieu of a specific number to protect privacy.

Transmission levels as of Friday, September 3, 2021 in Polk County are High. For more information please visit the CDC website. This website includes an integrated county view by state.

For more information on our health and mitigation practices please review our Return to Learn Addendum here.

As we approach opening day of the Iowa State Fair 2021 we would like to extend a big congratulations to one of Ankeny’s own. Allison Su received first place for her painting “The Life of Hogs” and is featured in the 2021 Iowa State Fair Fine Art Gallery. Allison graduated from Ankeny Centennial High School May 29, 2021. She was a 2020-21 National Merit Finalist and was in the top of her class. She is attending John Hopkins this fall. Her artwork is featured below. Follow this link to view the youth gallery or visit the Fine Art Gallery located on the third floor of the Cultural Center!

Hello, Jaguar Families!

We are gearing up for our first day of school on August 23rd!  This includes important information for you to be ready.  Be on the lookout for an email on Friday, August 6, with additional important information.

2021-2022 Schedule Release

The student schedules for the 2021-22 school year will go live on Monday August 2nd for viewing in the Infinite Campus Portal.  If students see an error on their schedule or would like to request a schedule change they need to go to https://tinyurl.com/CHSScheduleChangeRequests and fill out the form to begin the process.  Counselors return to the high school the last part of the week of August 9th and will begin to reach out to students for opportunities to make adjustments.  Please reach out to the CHS Counseling office with any questions.

Our counselor breakdown is as follows:

Building Open on Tuesday, August 17

Our building will be open to students from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Tuesday, August 17, for the following purposes:

• Locate classes and practice their routes,
• Pick up their textbooks,
• Purchase a parking pass, and/or
• Purchase an activities ticket.

Textbook Pickup and Chromebook Repair

Students may stop in the media center to pick up textbooks for classes. We can look at your schedule and let you know what is needed.

Students who have not received a Chromebook will be issued one once school begins, however the media center will be available to look at any previously issued Chromebooks that might need attention on August 17th.

Parking Passes

If a student would like a parking pass, they must turn in this form in person on August 17th or during the school year. Parking passes will not be accepted before August 17th. Students must have acquired a drivers license or permit prior to purchasing a parking pass.

Activities Tickets

Students who would like to purchase an activities ticket for the upcoming school year are encouraged to do so online by using the online payment system. Online activity ticket purchasing runs until 11:59pm on August 8th at https://ia-ankeny.intouchreceipting.com.

Activities tickets will also be available to purchase in person on August 17th and throughout the school year.

For information on types of tickets and pricing, please visit https://tinyurl.com/activities-tickets.

Locker Requests

All students have the ability to request a locker for the upcoming school year but are not assigned one ahead of time.  If you would like to have a locker please go to https://tinyurl.com/CHSLockerSignup and fill out the form.  Someone from the counseling office will make contact with you regarding your request to get you the necessary information.  This may be done at any time throughout the year.  Please reach out to the CHS guidance office if you have any questions.

Adjusted Schedule on August 23 & August 24

Our staff has been working hard to support our incoming 10th grade students, as well as new-to-Centennial 11th and 12th grade students as we plan for a successful Centennial experience. Please note our adjusted start time on the first day of school, August 23rd:

• 10th graders begin at 8:25
• New-to-Centennial 11th and 12th graders begin at 9:00
• Returning 11th and 12th graders begin at 11:55.
• Additional details regarding our schedule on August 23rd, as well as August 24th, will be communicated in our next email on Friday, August 6.

Go Jaguars!

The fall sports parent meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, August 5, at 6:30 p.m. at Centennial High School in the main gym.   This meeting is for parents of students in grades 9-12 that will be participating in Girls Cross Country, Boys Cross Country, Football, Boys Golf, Girls Swimming and Diving, Volleyball, Fall Cheer and Dance.   Following the brief meeting with the Activities Staff, parents will meet with coaches for additional information.